Ties are one accessory you might not think too much about cleaning until they get stained. While some materials like silk and wool will take a professional touch, most other tie materials can safely and easily be cleaned at home. Learn how to clean ties using cornstarch, alcohol, seltzer water and even salt.
Tie Materials You Can Safely Clean at Home
When it comes to cleaning ties, it is going to depend on what material that the tie is made of. Most ties are made of silk. For silk, think about dry cleaning ties rather than trying to clean them at home. Beyond silk ties, you have cleaning options for washing and removing stains at home on wool, linen, cotton and polyester ties.
How to Get a Stain Out of a Tie
Other than taking it off and hanging it up, you might not think too hard about tie cleaning. That is, until you drop a dab of mustard or tomato sauce on it at the company luncheon. Now that it has a stain, you have a big problem. To get that stain out, you'll want to grab a few tools from your pantry:
- Club soda or seltzer water
- Corn starch
- Table salt
- Rubbing alcohol
- Clean cloth
- Spoon
- Towel
- Mild soap or detergent
Club Soda or Alcohol
Club soda is going to be your best friend for most general stains on your ties. To get started, you'll simply follow these instructions.
- Take a spoon and scrap off any chunks or globs that might be with the stain.
- Grab a clean white cloth and wet it with the club soda.
- On a discrete area of the tie make sure the color won't bleed when adding the water.
- After a successful test, wet the rag and dab at the stain.
- Use a fresh area and continue wetting and dabbing until the stain is gone.
- Place the wet area of the tie between the folds of a towel and press firmly to remove any water.
- Hang and allow to air dry.
You can also follow these same steps with alcohol. This might be a better option for ties that don't respond well to club soda. Make sure to test an area on the back first before trying alcohol on the stain.
Table Salt
Did you spill red wine on your tie at a dinner party? Well, you'll need to grab the table salt for cleaning your ties. The key to this method is to hit the stain right away.
- Lay the tie flat on a surface.
- Coat the stain with a good amount of table salt.
- Allow to sit for a few hours.
- Brush the salt off.
- For any remaining stain, try blotting the area with water and a dash of mild detergent on a cloth.
- Rinse with water and a clean area of the towel.
- Press the tie with the towel to dry then hang.
You could also try specialized products for removing red wine stains like Wine Away.
Cornstarch
If a little bit of vinaigrette covered salad slipped on to your tie, don't despair. Instead, you'll need to reach for the cornstarch. When it comes to how to get a stain out of a tie with this method, you'll need to:
- For grease stains, take your tie off and lie it flat.
- Grab the cornstarch and cover the stain in a nice heaping pile.
- Leave the cornstarch on the stain for about a day.
- Brush it off.
- Treat any remaining stains with a mild detergent.
- Rinse and press to dry.
How to Wash Ties
After stain treating your tie, you might decide that the whole thing is a bit dingy. If you have a linen, cotton, knit, microfiber or polyester tie, then you're in luck. You can just give these bad boys a little hand washing right in your sink. Before just tossing them in, there are a few things that you'll want to remember:
- Pay attention to your ties laundry symbols.
- Use cold or warm water to hand wash ties.
- Do not wring out the tie. Instead, press it to dry it.
- Use a mild detergent.
- Do not use bleach.
- Follow the instructions on your iron for the various materials.
- Knit material should be steamed only.
Can You Dry Clean a Tie?
Not only can you dry clean a tie, many materials require it. When it comes to wool and silk, dry cleaning your ties is going to be your best option. This is because these materials are very delicate and will require a specialized touch.
Tips for Dry Cleaning Ties
When you take your tie to the dry cleaner, you'll want to make sure to point out any stains and what caused it. This way your dry cleaner can use the best method to remove the stain. However, if you think you want to clean your tie at home, there are a few silk tie cleaning tips you can try.
How to Clean Ties
When it comes to how to get rid of tie stains, it's going to depend on what material you are working with. Most ties made of silk will require the expertise of a dry cleaner. However, other fabrics can easily be cleaned at home. Now that you know the tricks, grab those ties and get cleaning.
